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CIA plan justified

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 15, 2009

Some Democratic lawmakers are atwitter they were left in the dark about a Central Intelligence Agency plan to use trained assassins to kill top al-Qaeda leaders.

Senate Intelligence Chair Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, said President George W. Bush withheld the information from Congress, which "is a big problem, because the law is very clear."

Feinstein and friends should save their outrage for the terrorists behind the 9-11 attacks that killed more than 3,000 people.

Congress authorized the broad use of lethal force against al-Qaeda leaders after 9-11, if not this specific plan.

Bush's team needed to explore every possible means of stopping the terrorists plotting against America.

No action was taken under this initiative. Officials ultimately found the idea unrealistic. But in the aftermath of 9-11, things were not nearly so clear.

If Congress, which is notorious for leaks, has to be briefed on every clandestine mission that is discussed, it will be impossible to protect the nation or defeat al-Qaeda.

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